


Preparations

by seashadows



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: LiveJournal Prompt, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Sickfic, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 11:48:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/785732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seashadows/pseuds/seashadows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock quietly and efficiently takes care of his captain when he gets sick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Preparations

  
It’s not a Vulcan sense, precisely, but rather one honed by months (6.3333 repeating) of observing the man with whom he is in a relationship. Thus, it is only logical that Spock can recognize the signs of illness in James Tiberius Kirk before the man realizes (or admits it, for that matter) himself. When, at 0732, Jim comes to the mess hall with pale cheeks and a red nose, Spock catalogues these symptoms, matches them to the dry cough he heard in bed last night, and diagnoses a persistent rhinovirus rather than a hangover.   
  
He does the logical thing and goes to the replicator just as Jim goes to sit down. “I have taken the liberty of procuring orange juice for you,” he says, his voice its usual tone that does _not_ betray any hint of his concern. Jim is not only his lover, but also his captain, and the title (although Spock suspects that this is partly just Jim) comes with the trait of stubbornness and a tendency to refuse treatment for any illness or injury when confronted with a diagnosis. “It contains no pulp.” Jim hates pulp.   
  
“Thanks,” Jim says to him, his smile devoid of what McCoy calls his ‘faulty kickassery’, and sniffles before gulping down the juice with a wince. Obviously, his throat pains him, and Spock makes a mental note to go to sickbay for throat drops – the kind made with honey. The good doctor will likely make him pay by making him listen to taunts of all sorts, but for Jim, Spock is willing to risk ridicule.   
  
At 0922, when Jim’s commanding voice begins to crack painfully, Spock sends a quiet note to Commander Scott, stating that _Captain Kirk_ will aid him in repairing the wiring in several Jeffries tubes – a quiet activity that requires little strength (beyond the strength of mind inherent in anyone who listens to the engineer’s stories) and less vocal power. Spock can easily handle the conn during the several hours’ absence that will invariably result.   
  
Jim gets up, almost eagerly, as soon as he receives the message. Spock is gratified that his missive worked, more so when Jim starts down the corridor and he hears the man sneeze. He makes a mental note to requisition a water shower, so that the congestion in Jim’s nose and chest might be eased by soothing heat rather than jarring sonics.   
  
When Jim returns to the bridge at 1253, Spock is concerned ( _quite_ logically, as it is a Vulcan’s duty to look after his or her mate’s health) by the red flush to his cheeks and forehead. He estimates the fever therein to have raised Jim’s temperature by one degree Celsius. The captain is listless in his chair, the flop to his normally active body bespeaking feverish aches.   
  
Something must be done; if Jim is allowed to make himself sicker for the rest of the day, a visit to Sickbay will result, and McCoy’s usual diatribes have a sixty-nine point two seven percent chance of lowering Jim’s morale and thus making him sicker. He keys in a request for a water shower, which is answered more quickly than usual (Commander Scott is inordinately grateful for Jim’s help and wishes to ‘share the love’).   
  
At 1446, Spock requests early dismissal from the bridge, citing ‘personal obligations’ as his reason (it _is_ the truth, and no one will contest him anyway – fear has its merits). He swiftly makes his way to sickbay for throat drops.   
  
As he predicted earlier, McCoy is gleeful. “Well, well, the green-blooded hobgoblin isn’t so invincible after all. What can I do ya for, Spock?”   
  
It is very difficult not to _punch_ McCoy at times.

Still, for _his_ captain, Spock bears the torture. With throat drops in hand, he goes to the quarters that he and Jim share, and turns the thermostat up five degrees Celsius to accommodate Jim’s fever. He then prepares their bed with the warmest blankets he can find and sets a cup of hot tea on the bedside table. Then, he waits.   
  
At 1603, Jim stumbles into their quarters with a noise of pain. “Oh, _god_ , my head,” he groans aloud; he obviously thinks himself alone. “ _Urgh_. I never should’ve gone on shift to - _Spock?_ ”   
  
“I am here,” Spock says, and rises to slide an arm around Jim’s waist and help him to the bed. “Why are you surprised? It is only logical that I care for you.”   
  
“You never said anything,” Jim protests, and turns his head to sneeze. Spock allows him to bury his nose in his shoulder and sniffle rather than blow it properly. “You should’ve,” he adds, his voice muffled by the fabric of Spock’s shirt.   
  
“Would you have allowed treatment if I had done so?” Spock points out, although he already knows the answer. Of _course_ not.   
  
“Well, no,” Jim says – mumbles, actually. Spock sits him down on the bed and takes off his boots and clothing. “Hey, why’re you – you don’t wanna get naked _now_ , do you?”   
  
Spock has never known Jim to refuse the idea of sex before, and he is mildly surprised before realizing that he never intended for said meaning to come across. “I simply wish for you to be comfortable, Jim,” he says, and palms Jim’s forehead to demonstrate that he knows another fact. “You are feverish.”   
  
“Mm, yeah. Tell me something I don’t know.” Jim’s eyelids are already heavy and drooping; the strain of an entire shift spent trying to appear healthy has obviously, as McCoy says, ‘wiped him out.’ Spock takes off his own clothing, having divested himself of his boots fifteen point five two minutes ago, and maneuvers them both under the warm covers.   
  
Jim tugs the blankets up under his chin and snuggles in, breathing heavily, just as Spock predicted that he would. And soon, despite his best intentions, Spock is asleep as well.


End file.
